The present invention relates to a door aligning assembly and particularly a door aligning assembly for use with a microwave oven.
In the conventional microwave oven, a microwave energy generating device is provided for delivering microwave energy into a cavity defined by a cabinet having a front opening selectively closed by a door. To assure there is no leakage of the microwave energy from the cavity during operation of the oven, it is important that access to the oven cavity by the user is prevented when the microwave energy generating means is energized. Thus, it is conventional to provide interlocking means for assuring that the cabinet door is in the closed and latched position before the microwave energy generating means may be energized. A number of different interlocking systems have been developed to provide such functioning. Most commonly is a mechanism wherein a latch secured to the door will engage a switch secured to the oven which switch will energize the microwave energy generating device only when the door is in its closed position and when opened and the latch removed from contact with the switch the microwave energy generating device is de-energized. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,715,552; 3,777,098; 3,865,097 and 4,101,750.
To aid in the proper functioning of the interlocking system it is important that the door be properly aligned relative to the cabinet to assure that the door and the latches on the door properly actuate the switch that energizes and de-energizes the microwave energy generating device respectively. Door alignment can be a problem since the door in most microwave ovens is rectangular shaped and is relatively heavy so that proper door alignment particularly at the end of the door away from the hinges is difficult to achieve during assembly of the microwave oven. To aid in proper alignment of the door relative to the microwave oven cavity, a centering prong or guide projection may be used. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,098 there is provided a guide projection adapted to extend through an aperture in the front face of the oven and guided by rollers rotatably mounted at the upper and lower sides of the aperture.
In some microwave ovens it may be desirable to include a switch actuated and deactuated by the centering prong when the microwave oven door is in its fully closed position. Often times this switch is a safety switch provided to terminate all electrical power in the microwave oven in the event that the switch or switches of the interlocking system has failed in a closed condition.
By this invention there is provided a door aligning assembly and switch arrangement for microwave ovens which assures that the door is correctly aligned relative to the cabinet so that the door properly actuates and deactuates the switches that energizes and de-energizes the microwave energy generating device respectfully and also provides a means for terminating all electrical power to the appliance.